Horn weights



March 15, 1955 SANDEN 2,704,066

HORN WEIGHTS Filed March 10, 1952 )7 3 INVENTOR 772:0 dare $ava'anATTORNEY United States Patent HORN WEIGHTS Theodore Sanden, Mahnomen,Minn.

Application March 10, 1952, Serial No. 275,710

Claims. (Cl. 128-76) This invention relates to an improvement in hornweights wherein it is desired to provide simple and effective means forshaping the horns of cattle.

Various types of devices have been previously constructed for thepurpose of shaping the horns of cattle. Most of these devices comprisecollars which encircle the horns and are secured thereto. All of theweights with which I am familiar include set screws or pins which holdthe weights in place. Such set screws and other such holding meansusually extend beyond the periphery of the weights and provideprotuberances which tend to catch upon fences, posts, and'the like.

An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a hornweight which requires no set screws, pins or projections to hold theweights in place. The outer surface of the weights is rounded from oneend to the other. As a result the tendency for the weights to catch uponfences, gates and the like is eliminated.

-A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of hornweights which are easy to apply. Most such weights are applied by firstapplying the weights upon the horn and then tightening set screws ordrilling holes and inserting retaining pins in order to hold the weightsin place. My weights are merely threaded into place by rotating theweights with the hand until they are tight upon the horns of the animal.When once engaged the weights remain firmly in place, mainly through thefact that most of the tendency for loosening the weights or disturbingthe position thereof is eliminated.

-A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that myweights do not injure the horns and cause no discomfort to the animal.Where set screws are employed it is necessary to tighten the set screwsuntil the end of the set screw penetrates or indents the surface of thehorn. This action often cracks or permanently disfigures the horns. Inother instances pins are employed which extend entirely; through thehorn, a hole being drilled for this purpose. With such an arrangementthe horn is permanently injured and the aperture or indentation formedwhen the weight is applied remains visible throughout the life of theanimal. This is particularly disadvantageous as horn weigh-ts areusually used on pure bred cattle to improve the appearance of theanimals. With the present construction the weights may be later removedwithout causing any permanent injury to the horn itself. I have foundthat any marks made on the horns by the weights disappear shortly afterthe weights are removed.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be moreclearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of cattle horns showing theweights in place thereupon.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a horn and weight, a portion of theweight being broken away to show the manner in which the weight gripsthe horn.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on a plane through the axis of the weight.

The horn weight disclosed is extremely simple in design but is unusuallyeffective in its use and operation. The weight includes an elongatedtubular body which is slightly rounded longitudinally throughout itsentire length. The intermediate portion 11 of the tubular body 10 isprovided with a slightly rounded outer surface 12 and a substantiallycylindrical inner surface 13. The intermediate portion 11 is provided atone end with an "ice inwardly extending flange 14. The outer surface ofthe flange 14 at its point of juncture with the intermediate portion 11of the weight is continuously rounded as indicated at 15. The innersurface of the flange 14 is also preferably rounded as indicated at 16at the juncture between the flange 14 and the intermediate portion 11.Thus a shoulder is formed between the flange 14 and the intermediateportion 11 producing a reduced diameter opening 17 at one end of theweightbody.

The end 19 of each weight is internally threaded as indicated at 20.These internalthreads are relatively sharp so as to firmly engage thesurface of the horn, but at the same time are polished to remove anycutting edge which might cut deeply into the horn. The threaded portion20 is of substantial length so that the horn may be gripped over anelongated surface. The internal threads are slightly tapered, the degreeof taper being substantially similar to the taper of a pipe tap withwhich the threads are formed. The horns, being somewhat flexible andthin-walled, are securely gripped by the threads even though thethreaded edges do not cut deeply into the horn body. I

The end 21 of the weight body at the outside of the threaded portion 20is also continuously rounded from the threaded aperture to the surface12. Thus from end to end of the weight the surface, is curved so thatthe weight will not catch on any object such as a fence, post, rail, orother object which might be apt to dislodge the weight.

The flange 14 forms a smaller diameter opening at one end of the weightso that the weight will be held in proper position. The smaller diameterportion of the horn extends through the reduced diameter opening 17 andis held from a wobbling movement when the weight is struck against anobstruction. While the horns vary considerably in taper, I have foundthat by providing an inturned flange on the body at the end thereofopposite the threaded end, the smaller diameter end of the horn mayminimize any tendency for the weight to tilt or rock.

In the past it has been usual practice to thread the weights throughouttheir length. The threads are tapered, presumably to fit the taper ofthe horns. -A long internally threaded taper is difficult to produce.The difference in taper of the horns makes one end or the other of theweight spaced from the horn. Any rocking of the weight tends to causethe threaded surface to rub against the horn, marring the same. Thisdifiiculty I avoid by threading only one end of the weight and providingan internally extending sleeve at the outer end of the body.

The advantage of the rounded outer surface cannot be over-estimated.Horns are relatively thin, and while the walls are somewhat flexible,they are brittle if an excessive strain is applied. Cattle oftentimesstick their necks through a wire fence, between gate slats, throughother such openings. They also rub their necks and heads on posts, treesand the like. If a projecting set screw or shoulder on a horn weightgets caught or entangled, the subsequent head shaking and twisting mayreadily break off a horn or damage it, disfiguring the animal for life.Horn weights are used on show animals and the like, where appearance isof utmost importance. The provision of a weight having a surface whichcannot readily catch on a surrounding object is thus of utmostimportance.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my horn weight, and while I haveendeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, -I desire to haveit understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of thefollowing claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A horn weight having an elongated tubular body having an opening fromend to end thereof, said opening having an internally threaded end asthe sole horn gripping means and an integral un-threaded other end, theother end of the body including a relatively narrow inwardly projectingflange.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the body is providedwith a continuously rounded outer surface cfontinuously flaring fromeach end to the center thereo 3. A horn weight including an elongatedtubular body having a substantially cylindrical bore extending the majorportion of its length and-having a smaller diameter cylindrical boreextending the remainder of its length, and internal threads on saidweight body at the first named end thereof.

4. The structure described in claim 3 and in which the weight iscontinuously curved from end to end and flares continuously from eachend to the center thereof.

5. A horn weight for cattle including an elongated body having anopening extending therethrough, said opening being provided near one endwith slightly tapered internally threads, a hollow space free of threadsat the other end and inwardly projecting flange of lesser diameter thanthe said first tapered portion and the said hollow space portion, thebody being circular in cross section and rounded from'end to endlongitudinally, the ends of 4 the body adjoining the opening being at anangle of less than ninety degrees to the axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 86,882Thompson Feb. 9, 1869 1,334,200 Weston Mar. 16, 1920 1,771,900 PetersenJuly 29, 1930 2,123,603 Henderson July 12, 1938 2,501,086 Picker Mar.21,1950 2,541,224 Ellis Feb. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,392 Great'Britain 1890 517,864 Germany Feb. 10,1931

